admit to your stupidity

[Bill Douglas]

the SC had a miss once the temps got up, and particularly when I had been driving it hard for an hour or so. This had been going on for a year I guess.

It turned out the distributor cap was miss-seated and one side was sitting up high on the plastic cover that stops crud falling into the mechanism.

[geoff_k]

a topic I can add "useful" comment to...

One time car would not start and we determined it to be the fuel pump.. Ordered a new fuel pump only to find that the tank was empty.......

Recently I posted here about a fluctuating voltage after replacing the internal Voltage regulator....well as I started to take the alternator out of the '84 and noticed the nuts holding the cables were loose.....tightened them up and all is now well...

[911tracker85]

I"ve lost track of all of my stupid mistakes. and just keep on making them....

[Otter74]

I have a Sentra SE-R that I've had since 1993. I decided to take it to a local shop to have them replace the steering rack because that job sucks and realistically I'm not going to be able to do it until spring and I don't want to keep refilling the reservoir all the time. It wasn't starting, and since last year I had spent some time chasing down and killing some fueling issues that arose from bad gas, I just assumed something else had cropped up and told the shop to address that too. Later that day, they call me back and tell me it was...out of gas When the AAA truck came to take it to the shop the first thing he asked was if it had gas and I *very confidently* said oh no, it's not that, I know what it is....

[Geronimo]

Buying an old 911 on impulse.

Having a local shop rebuild my 915

Buying a 911 with a 915

Not rebuilding the 915 with better gear ratios and an LSD

Thinking I can afford an old 911

Not buying a 911 15 years ago when they were cheap

[porschedude996]

Not a Porsche Dumb Thing, but still a Automotive Dumb Thing

1. I had a Chevy Corvair with a Small Block V-8 sitting amidships with 400+hp. I rebuilt the 4-Speed Saginaw Transmission on a small workbench, too many growling gear changes. After I finished assembling the trans I installed and needed a wrench on the bench. I was having little difficulty with space and lost the needed wrench on the small bench under everything else. Decided to cleanup and clean the tools and such. Gear oil is quite ahh “oily” I should say. I took the old brass Synchronizer Rings, all the same part number, and put them in a box. While I was putting them in said box, I got to #4 Ring and found #5, an extra one. A 4-Speed transmission only has four and I had the transmission installed, short tightening a couple of bolts. When most american 4-speeds transmissions of the era are made, the main shaft has three of the four syncro’s trapped on the shaft as the gears and hubs are assembled. The next step is to install the input shaft and mate to the main-shaft within the gear case. The input shaft has loose needle bearings on the inside of the input-shaft and the trick is to coat them with axle grease to hold them against the inner surface of the input-shaft as to keep them from falling during the final mating of the shafts. At this point is when the dumb thing comes in. I was concentrating on the bearings and forgot the synchronizing ring. all the back to square #2.

2. Same car. I had a knock and decided to investigate the noise still bolted in the car. These mechanical noises have a signature. Rod Bearing make a knock on engine speed deceleration. Main bearings get louder when applying throttle. Pistons make more of a clatter sound when cold, worn out, or a broken skirt. Valves hitting pistons is another that sounds like a very angry and loud gang fight. (???) Well I disassembled the heads from the block, then the oil pan, then pulled each piston and rod assembly and found nothing. In my youth I was somewhat of a Hot Head and I grabbed the torn down block and shook it, kind of a strangling move to vent my frustration. That’s when I duplicated the knock noise. The engine mount bolt pinning the separate halves together was loose…

[Quickstep192]

Wow, we’ve now reached 29 pages and 565 admissions of stupid acts.

I’m wondering if this is really where I should be coming for advice!

Just kidding of course! The best knowledge often comes from the worst mistakes.

[anh911]

I can't believe this thread is still going. I got a notification email today (Christmas) that there was a new reply to it and here I am after a long time. I forgot how much fun (and frustrating) some of the threads are.
In keeping with the "admissions" In a former life I wrenched on Porsche for a living. One day some of the guys bet me I couldn't do a 911 clutch job in some time (I forget the exact number- it was less than 2 hours, maybe even one) Anyway I was very confident that I had beat the time utterly as I reached for the key and just then saw one of the guys holding the flywheel ring gear and heard the starter spinning on nothing... So close.
Happy Holidays every one! lol.

[Quickstep192]

Originally Posted by anh911

What a great picture!!

[Dpmulvan]

From walking around looking for a socket that’s on the end of the ratchet I’m holding, or looking for my welding helmet only to realize it’s on my head to picking up freshly tig welded parts with my bare hand I’ve covered a wide range and have the scars to prove it. Almost forgot leaving the chuck key in the lathe and turning it on.
Still have both my hands and eyes even though I hate guards on my angle grinders so I guess I’m still winning?

[lateapex911]

Originally Posted by Dpmulvan

From walking around looking for a socket that’s on the end of the ratchet I’m holding, or looking for my welding helmet only to realize it’s on my head to picking up freshly tig welded parts with my bare hand I’ve covered a wide range and have the scars to prove it. Almost forgot leaving the chuck key in the lathe and turning it on.
Still have both my hands and eyes even though I hate guards on my angle grinders so I guess I’m still winning?

The chuck key in the chuck....that's one I learned once LOL. (Was in a low speed mill, no harm, didn't even come out, but it was a wake up call. )

And we've all lost tools in our face.

When I was a kid, I'd go inside to pour a glass of juice. Then go outside wondering where the 9/16th socket went.
10 minutes later, my Mom would come out, hand me the 9/16th socket, admonishing me that dirty tools don't go in the clean glass cupboard. Doh!

(At least the next time I did that I dashed inside and beat her to the punch ha!)

[47silver]

was rebuilding the 75 intake to take care of vacuum leaks and to protect the motor from anything falling into intake ports i put some plastic bags in the holes.
I turned the engine over by hand for some reason, removed the plastic bags and proceeded to install the intakes.
Started the motor and had a miss that was traced to number 4.
i removed the intake again and the plastic bag was inside teh intake port blocking the intake valve but had not gone into the cylinder.

Now i count everything.

[Dpmulvan]

Looking for a bolt for an hour that’s stuck to the bottom of the magnetic parts tray.

[Showdown]

I mean, it’s probably easier and faster to list the things I’ve done that weren’t stupid

[1979-930]

Headlight washer system was missing from my 930 when I got it. I spent at least a year tracking down the correct tank and pump to "restore" the system.
I installed everything and tested. Pump would not turn on. I tore into the electrical system tracing wires and checking connections. I spent a couple hours working on it.

I finally traced down the culprit... The headlights have to be on to power the circuit.

[Nico911]

That day I sold my 85 targa for a 996 Turbo. Nuff said.

[47silver]

Magnetic trays i tossed
Put new timing belt on my old a4 audi. Kept throwing a cam code. I lost track of how many times i took it apart, replaced tons of parts. The cup that is on the cam for timing is metal. The magnetic tray magnetized it and would cause the cam code. Replaced it with a new one and that was the problem

[Locker537]

Ugh, I have one from today.

I have a Sureshot sprayer that I normally use with brake cleaner. It works great and saves money if you use a lot of brake cleaner.

I put 70% isopropyl in it for some other cleaning tasks, not realizing that it would rust the hell out of the sprayer. Once I started spraying orange alcohol, I knew something was up.

I doubt I will be able to clean it well enough to use with brake cleaner again. I've got some WD40 sitting it in it now. I'll buy another one, and it's not a very costly mistake, but dumb...

[lateapex911]

Thats a top tip....most people don't realize 70% will rust raw metal. Somebody might benefit from that post.

[Bob Ashlock]

Many moons ago, did this once, never again. Not a Porsche, but relevant. Several month project building a 427 engine for a 65 Chevelle. During that time also bought a 'rock-crusher' Muncie trannie brand new. Installed it on the motor, but did not put trans oil in it. "I'll do it later when we get ready to run the whole thing". Right. Months later, taking the car on its first 15 minute test drive around the neighborhood, the trans got progressively noisier. Then I finally remembered my stupid mistake! Had to do some bearing replacements to make it right again.